Ambroise Pare

Ambroise Pare (1510-20 December 1590) was a French physician who is considered to be the father of modern surgery and forensic pathology. Born in Laval, France in 1510, he worked as a barber-surgeon's apprentice under his brother, and he became a medician himself. He helped further gunshot wound surgeries, helping to heal Marshal Charles de Cosse after he was wounded at Perpignan by Spain in 1542, using egg yoke, turpentine, and rose petals (in many other cases, however, wounded men were put out of their misery by other soldiers). He also used ligatures to help with healing amputations instead of cauterization, and he helped in furthering glass eyes, wooden teeth, and other prosthetics. His social status was furthered by his friendship with King Charles IX of France, and he was with him at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. He is famous for saying, "I dresed him, but God healed him."